The surf was making an effort to appease this weekend, but we resisted the temptation to go coastal, preferring instead to brave the heat haze of the inner south west of the city. Just a few blocks west of Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall station is the National Museum of History, where a magnificent exhibition of Picasso's paintings were on show. We missed the early run of the exhibition as we were in Australia, but we were determined to see it before it moved on. As it is in its closing weeks, the crowds were pretty intense. Luckily for us, we got there around lunchtime, meaning we were able to navigate in and around the paintings and get to see all of them right up close, despite quite a press of humanity. The works covered all periods of his career and although we have visited the very museum in Paris from which all these works came, we recognized only about 1/2 of them: perhaps when we visited in France, there was another traveling show of works? It was fascinating to see the development of cubism over some decades, before a subdued approach in later years softened the edges again. Some of his early work is almost conservative, especially in contrast to what was to follow. A quirky highlight for us was seeing the bronze "cat" sculpture shining on high on a pedestal with perspex casing. I took a photo of Cass crouching by this very same cat in Paris, where it seemed it was being used as a doorstop between galleries!
When we burst from the overcrowded gift shop at the end of the line, we'd had quite enough of the crowds. To our disbelief, the line to get in now stretched for many blocks down the road: we'd got in just in the nick of time. We did get our usual fridge magnet and a couple of cards on the way out: being funneled like lemmings into kitsch filled gift shops with exorbitant prices seems de rigueur these days, a necessary evil perhaps of getting these big exhibitions into the city. It's astounding to think what was NOT in Paris over this spring and summer: the Musee Marmottan would have been little more than a dry and empty husk after being drained of the 34 Monet works on display at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum in May and June while the Musee National Picasso Paris would have been similarly bereft these past few months. Ah well, we Taipei residents will soak it all up, never mind!
On the way back to the station we dropped into the distinctly more sober Taiwan 228 Memorial Museum. There was a mass slaughter of civilians on February 28th 1947 after a long period of government corruption and dictatorial decision making. It is housed in a magnificently restored Japanese era building and the displays were beautiful and respectful to the dead.
Now back home, I'm hanging on the result of the very last game of the very last round of the AFL season. I'm (ironically considering my amazing lack of knowledge of all things AFL) leading this comp, but my nearest competitor may win, depending on this very last result: it's nerve wracking! I am reading the most amazing book I've read in many years at the moment. I don't usually give book recommendations, especially on non-fiction, but this is a mesmerizing, captivating, unputdownable tale of heroism and survival. Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. Photos: all in and around the museums we attended today, pretty self explanatory. Stop Press: lost the tipping comp on countback!
